6 Jobs You Need To Do In The Garden This Spring, According To Experts

When the garden comes to life and appears at your doorstep, it's time to show love and affection to your outdoor space.

“Spring is without a doubt my favorite time of the year,” said award-winning landscape designer Mark Gregory, Managing Director of Landform Consultants and Savills Garden Designer at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

“The days are getting longer and brighter and brighter and there is a scent in the air that makes me smile,” says Gregory. “It's a new season, the plant world is waking up and waking me up.

"It's a busy time, but it's encouraging and exciting, and I'm looking forward to being a part of it."

And so, what are you waiting for? Here the experts share their best tips for working in your garden now that spring has finally arrived...

1. Last chance for open root specimens

“March is the last chance to plant bare-rooted bushes and trees,” notes Gregory. "Planting bare roots is a good idea as they often have a large root mass, especially in trees, which gives them an advantage over potted plants."

He says they're also lighter, so they're cheaper to transport. While the lack of plastic pots means it's better for the environment.

2. Start growing vegetables early

“I have very vivid memories of helping my grandfather grow his early potatoes; now is the time to do it,” suggests Gregory. “Either in trenches if you have the space, or we use large pots for trees and shrubs that are hard to regenerate but perfect for a big potato crop.

"Black ginger soaks up the spring sun, warms the soil, and promotes good potato growth."

3. Consider not mowing your lawn

As Gregory notes, when our grass starts to wake up, we really want to go out and cut it. In addition to mowing and reseeding bare spots, he suggests leaving the lawn alone.

“For the past few years, we have participated in the Mowerless May campaign and have seen firsthand the positive results it has had on our farm,” says Gregory.

“Not only do I enjoy watching the wind blow through the grass, but seeing the flowers appear is a feast for the eyes as well as these important pollinators.”

4. Give Weeds a Chance

Gregory says that as the soil warms up and the first buds of his favorite flowers begin to appear, their lesser comrades, the weeds, will join them.

“As a child, I spent a lot of time on my knees, earning money so I didn’t weed curbs and vegetables. Now my approach has changed. I do not leave perennial weeds, but I leave a little. In the end, I believe that weeds can be garden keepers and the pros outweigh the cons.

In fact, Gregory is a big supporter, they have been in his last two gardens in Chelsea and they will also be in Savilles Garden this year.

5. Create your bed and partitions

“Spring is the perfect time to organize beds and dividers during the warmer months,” says Markus Ailes, director of horticulture at Dobbies.

“Once you've removed the weeds, the next step is to prune winter flowering plants like Cornus and Salix where the flowers are starting to wilt, and summer flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Lavatera and Fuchsia to make room for new growth.

Ailes suggests pruning the bushes in early spring after flowering has finished, as this will keep the flower bed and border clean. Wisterias can be pruned to encourage strong flower buds by trimming side shoots to just a few buds.

To give your garden structure, Ailes recommends planting new shrubs, hedges, and trees in the spring. You should also take care of evergreen trees, shrubs, and hedges by feeding them with a slow release all-purpose fertilizer, branching them slightly at the edges.

6. Plant Bulbs for Summer Color

According to Ailes, one of the most enjoyable spring gardening tasks is hand-planting. Choose fast growing plants in warmer soils for earlier flowering.

“Summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, lilies and gladiolus can be planted in the spring for vibrant color and fragrance during the summer months,” Ailes says. “Begonia bulbs can now also be grown in containers for early summer color.

“Heavy flowering annuals like 'Love-in-a-mist' or English marigolds can now be planted directly into the border for beautiful late blooms; now is the time to plant new roses.”

Ailes recommends David Austin's English Roses for showing summer blooms: "Be sure to prune your existing rose bush well before the new season's leaves begin to open."